Monday, April 5, 2010

Nearly two years after two Reuters journalists were killed in a military strike in Iraq, Wikileaks - a nonprofit that publishes leaked documents from government whistleblowers - has published footage it claims is classified U.S. military video of the killings to YouTube. Reuters has tried to secure the footage through a FOIA request, but Wikileaks obtained the footage through whistleblowers within the government who felt, according to Wikileaks, that the atmosphere around the killings was overly relaxed. A U.S. Military investigation determined that the shooting, which were intended to kill enemy combatants, were within its Rules of Engagement.

Here's the video - viewer discretion advised:

Wikileaks has set up a microsite where you can learn more about the incident from the research they've done, and this New York Times piece, written in July of 2007 when the attack took place, gives a good overview of the incident from those involved.

11
comments:

Anonymous
said...

This is really disturbing.

It's quite obvious that the Reuters journalists were not holding guns, but cameras (far too small to be mistaken for AK-47s, no less). Though while the initial firing on the eight individuals MAY have been justified (one of the non-Reuters men was carrying a gun), the shooting at the van with such limited intel and with the instigation for aggression by the chopper pilot / gunner / whoever is the icing on this terrible cake.

As morally superior as the US is versus other countries in the world is in its human rights agenda and democratic institutions (and rightfully so!), there will always be dumb people at all levels of society that make very bad, life-changing decisions like this. How do you guys think the rest of the world'll act when they see footage like this???

Im a norwegian. I have not been against the war in Iraq, until now. This is seriously disturbing. I never realized killing people who obviously isnt engaged in any confrontation could be done so easily. It seems like the crew in the helicopter is having great pleasure from what they are doing and begs to kill more.

Warfare is terrible indeed. In the US (and many other countries, as well) it has been sanitized for the better part of a century so that those of us not fighting will not know just how ugly it is. I suppose it is good that these types of videos get made public so that we can learn a little of war's true nature.

But I also believe that soldiers, including those in the Apache, are put into the position of having to be quick to shoot merely by being in that arena. I suppose if I were in their position, I'd rather kill potential innocents than risk my life or the lives of my friends. I feel bad for anyone forced to actually have to make that decision.

"It is good that war is so terrible or we should grow too fond of it." Robert E Lee

Take time to watch fellow Americans go splat on the sidewalks and causeways on Lincoln Street as they swan dive, on fire, from the Twin Towers. These journalists were hanging with dogs, and they caught the flea treatment. And the fathers of these children, who thought it a good idea to carry them along on a fool's errand, are to blame for their injuries.

Yup, nice piece of propaganda. Notice the label "murder". Yet, several of these people are clearly armed with rpg's, and who knows what else. Who were they going to use their weapons on? I say, take them out. They are violating the Geneva Conventions in multiple ways (unmarked [not in uniform], using civilians for cover in a war zone, etc.) And those stupid correspondents, for want of a picture, are traveling with them. Too bad. I really only want the bad guys dead, but be careful who you pick for friends.

Oh, and the van. Clearly intended to take away the terrorists before they could be apprehended. Or, what would a reasonable person think? A job well done.

These journalists were hanging with dogs, and they caught the flea treatment. And the fathers of these children, who thought it a good idea to carry them along on a fool's errand, are to blame for their injuries.

If you are not an American, please push your government to push for sanctions against the U.S. We are fast losing, if we have not already have lost, control of our government. It is just as important for the citizens of other countries to see this atrocity as it for for us. Only by working together in unity can we hope to bring an end to this monster that has grown out of the Potomac to go rampaging across the globe. Only with your help can we hope to restore America to the place we all once idolized. Real Americans, not the elite who make money off of these wars and economic manipulations, are ashamed by this and by what our country as become, but we are being sidelined, marginalized, and economically attacked by our own government. If you want our government out of your countries, you've got to get involved in ours -- and quickly. Please help.

Iraq Turkey shoot.there were too may such incidents that were unreported.The World were fed with American bias reports.These people want to live peacefully just as you and I.America claimed Saddam Hussein killed Iraqis but the Americans had killed more innocent Iraqis then he did.America had caused more widespread sufferings in Iraq for decades to come.America and the others had no justifiable reasons to be in Iraq.Stop bullying the weak nations.The cost of the War too had caused sufferings to Americans.Please have compassion towards the people of the World.America had not won a war on its own since WW II.You can't even overthrow Castro of Cuba your neighbour.Give World peace a chance.

Judging from the video, I'd say the actions of the helicopter crew were understandable, given that they are functioning in a war zone. *At least* two of the individuals seemed to be carrying weapons. I can see why the reporters cameras may have also been mistaken for weapons. (Also, the fact that one is carrying a camera, does automatically make one a non-combatant. Bad guys have been known to take pictures, too.) The decision to attack the van was based on a probably incorrect assumption that the occupants of the van were somehow connected with the others. I could easily see the gunner not seeing the children in the grainy video. Is this sad? Yes. Was this attack an error? At least in part, it probably was. Was this a crime? No. In any case, I have sorrow for the innocents who were involved, either directly, or by being among those who lost someone in this action.

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